Italian food and especially pasta is amongst my all time favorite cuisines! Hence it was about time for a veganized, healthy version of a classic: Vegan Spaghetti Carbonara. The recipe for this delicious dish has been highly requested on my Instagram, ever since I posted a picture of it and I finally had the time to properly write down the recipe and make a video for y’all! 🙂 This has quickly become one of my favorite go-to dishes as it’s ready in only 20 minutes time and SO yummy! Also, I’ll give myself some extra points for the fact that it’s gluten-free, vegan and can be made oil-free!
Imagine the creamiest non-dairy sauce, slightly flavored with a cheesy and egg-y note, paired with little bits of smokey and crunchy plant-based ‘bacon’ – yum! 🙂 What’s great about this recipe in particular is that you can totally adjust the sauce according to your own taste, add more or less cheesiness, spices, or egg flavor!
There are many ways to recreate the flavors and looks of real bacon in the plant-based cuisine, whether you choose eggplant, mushrooms, tempeh, tofu or rice paper is completely up to your preferences. I wanted it super crunchy so I went with rice paper bacon for this vegan Spaghetti Carbonara. In fact, the marinade recipe can totally be used for eggplant or mushroom ‘bacon’ if that’s what you have at home.
You’ll just have to soak it longer in the marinade and probably also bake it a bit longer! It will come out equally tasty and just a bit more chewy! If you’re a pasta-lover like me, you might want to check out my Mushroom Spinach One Post Pasta!
If you decide to give this vegan Spaghetti Carbonara a try, let me know! Leave a comment and rate it – it’s so helpful to me and other readers. And don’t forget to take a picture and tag me (@thetastyk) and #thetastyk on Instagram! I love seeing what you come up with. Love and enjoy! ♥
- 300g brown rice spaghetti
- fresh parsley for serving
Carbonara Sauce:- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for min. 4 hours
- 1 cup plant milk
- ½ tsp kala namak (black salt)
- 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp black pepper
RP Bacon Bits:- 1-2 rice paper sheets
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp warm water
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (or liquid smoke)
- dash of black pepper & garlic powder
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- First make the Rice Paper Bacon. Take two rice paper sheets, lay them above each other and cut into strips with a kitchen scissor. Add all the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl and mix well. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and pre heat the oven to 175°C/350°F.
- Prepare a bowl with warm water and place it next to the bowl with the marinade. Take two strips of rice paper, press them onto each other and dip into the warm water until it becomes slightly soft. Next, dip the double strip into the marinade and place onto the baking tray. Repeat this process until all strips are gone. Use a pastry brush to add the remaining marinade to each strip.
- Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes. Make sure to check the strips regularly as they burn very quickly. Once crispy, take them out of the oven and let cool down.
- Make your carbonara sauce by simply adding all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blending until smooth and creamy.
- Once the pasta is al dente, drain the water from pasta and return to the pot. Pour in the sauce and stir until pasta is well-coated. Take the ‘bacon’ strips, break them up into little bits and add to the pasta. Top with parsley and enjoy!
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I’ve been missing this! This looks like it will be great!! Thank you!!